Annette Messager's playful and uninhibited universe nestles somewhere between the currents of the subconscious and a critique of the female condition, where the tragic is tempered by humor. Her practice encompasses painting, embroidery, sculpture, collage, photography and writing. For her, drawing is a kind of meandering, somewhat akin to poetry. In 2005, she represented France at the Venice Biennale and won the Golden Lion Award and in 2016, she was awarded the Praemium Imperiale by the Imperial family of Japan on behalf of the Japan Art Association for her life’s work in the field of sculpture.

The Festival du Dessin will be highlighting her watercolors that explore the cycles of life and death, grouped together within a specifically designed installation.